Electric internal-combustion engine



l INVENTOR I A L. BY

ATTORNEYS ELECTRIC INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE HEAD BOLT HEATER ZWWV/M A. L. FREEMAN Original Filed Nov. 4, 1946 Jan. 15, 1952 Reissued Jan. 15, 1952 ELECTRIC IN TERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE HEAD BOLT HEATER Andrew L. Freeman, Grand Forks, N. Dak.

Original No. 2,487,326, dated November 3, 1949, Serial No. 84,363, March 30, 1949, which is a continuation of Serial No. 707,695, November 1951, Serial No. 255,092

Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

9 Claims.

The invention relates to a heating device for. liquid cooled internal combustion engines. This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 707,695, filed November 4, 1946, which application has now become abandoned.

As is well known, in cold weather the lubricants used in internal combustion engines become thick and do not flow readily, thus making the starting of an engine very diflicult, and causing an excessive drain on the battery.

.It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a device which can be inserted into the head of a cylinder block to heat the liquid cooling medium.

A further object of the invention is to provide a heating device which can be substituted for one of the conventional head bolts, and which will serve both for heating the cooling fluid and as one 01' the head bolts for securing the head to the cylinder block.

Another object of the invention is to provide 'a heating device which does not require the drilling of a special hole in the engine for its installation. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a heating device which can be left in the engine at all times and which can be readily connected to a suitable source of current for its operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, especially when taken in'conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the head of a cylinder block having a heating unit embodying the invention mounted therein;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a cylinder block partly in section with a heating unit mountedtherein;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the heating unit;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, longitudinal of the heating unit; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the heating unit as shown comprises a porcelain arbor I having a head 2 and a hole 3 therethrough. Wound about the arbor l is a coil of nickel chrome wire 4, or similar high resistance wire, which is held to the arbor l and insulated from a copper tube casing 5 by cement of the Sauer-Eisen type, denoted by the numeral 8.

Passing through the hole 3 in arbor I is a wire terminal 1 which is secured at its lower end Application for reissue November 6,

upper portion of the wire I is covered with-a tightly fits-into'the copper casing and is secured thereto by a suitable solder.

The two wires 8 and [2 pass through the 'hole 9 and out the upper end thereof, the wires being sealedto'the upper end of the bolt by a suitable insulating cement as shown at l5. After passing from the bolt the two wires are preferably con-- nected to a male pfug to make a connection to a suitable source of power, such as'a 110 volt A. C. or D. C.'source.

The upper end of sleeve III is threaded, as shown at 16. Threads II and I6 are of opposite pitch, and are spaced apart by an unthreaded sleeve portion. 1

When the heating device is to be installed, one

y of the head bolts of the engine is removed, and

the heater is inserted in its place; The heating element proper,'thatis, coil 4 and the surrounding sleeve -5, being ofless diameter than the sleeve I-ll, passes through the-threaded hole in the block 20, into which threaded section II is screwed. The device can be tightened down until the unthreaded portion of the sleeve prevents further turning. A nut 21 can now be applied to threaded section l6 and tightened down on the cylinder head 22. Thus the device continues to serve the normal function of the head bolt which it displaces, and at the same time serves to heat the water or other cooling fluid in the engine.

When the heating device is inserted in the cylinder head and the power is turned on, the units will heat the block and the liquids therein to a point to enable easy starting such as is possible in warm weather. Usually about thirty minutes are required to warm up an engine in a temperature 30 below zero. However, the time required depends upon the type of engine and the size of the cylinder block.

The unit is economical, requiring relatively little power consumption. Generally, for a 30 day period the units would require about 18 kilowatthours of power. When once heated, the engine will remain in good starting condition throughout the day, provided it is not allowed to stand in cold weather for several hours.

by suitable solder to one end of the coil 4. The While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not. intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the claims hereto or hereinafter appended.

I claim:

1. A heating device for internal combustion engines adapted to be inserted therein in lieu of a head: bolt, comprising a metal sleeve having spacedthreaded portions extending to each end thereof, an electric heating element secured on the other end thereof, said heating element and and extending from one end of the sleeve, and 1 lead-in connections connected to such element extending through the sleeve to the other end thereon said heating element and connections being insulated from the sleeve.

2. A heating device as claimed in claim 1 in which said heating element is of less diameter than said sleeve.

3. A heatingdevice as claimedin claim 2 in which the threads of such threaded portions are of opposite pitch. v

,4. A heating device as claimed in claim 1 in which the threads of such threaded portions are of Opposite pitch.

5. A heating device for liquid cooled internal combustion engines, comprising a bolt adapted to be mounted in a cylinder head and having a hole therethrough, a porcelain arbor, a coil of high resistance wire wound about the arbor, said arbor having a hole therethrough, a wire passing through the holes in the bolt and arbor and connected to one end of the coil, 2.- second wire passing through the hole in the bolt and con nected to the other end of the coil. a metal casing for the coil and arbor, said casing being secured to the bolt, and a cement insulating the coil from the casing.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5 further characterized by the wires passing through the hole in the bolt being insulated, and an insulatconnections being insulated from the sleeve.

8. In a device as claimed in claim 7, said means being adjustable longitudinally of the sleeve.

9. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a cylinder block and a cylinder head provided with aligned holes therein, the hole in the block being threaded, a heating device comprising a sleeve extending through both said holes and threadedly engaging in the hole in theblock, an electricheating element secured to the sleeve and extending intoth e cylinder block beyond said last hole, means associated with the other end of the sleeve 'ening cement for holding the wires in position at the upper end of the hole in the bolt. I

7. A heating device for internal combustion engines adapted to be inserted therein in lieu' of a head bolt, comprising a metal sleeve having a threaded portion adapted to .engage in a. threaded hole in the cylinder block and having. an electric heating element secured to the sleeve,

and extending a substantial distance beyond the,

gaging the outside of the cylinder head and hold-.

ing it against the block, and lead-in connections connected to such element extending through the sleeve to the other end thereof, said heating element and connections being insulated from the sleeve.

ANDREW L.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent or in the original patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

